CHENNAI: Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel, TVK leader and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s personal astrologer who had predicted a "tsunami victory" for the actor-turned-politician months before the results, was appointed as Officer on Special Duty (Political) to the chief minister on Tuesday, a move that backlash from public and criticisms from within the ruling alliance.
Radhan Pandit is said to be close to Vijay and seen as part of the TVK's campaign ecosystem during the Assembly elections as one of the spokespersons.
On his website, he gave a detailed claim about his long association with late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and the then AIADMK leadership, claiming that he advised her on electoral strategies, numerology, court appearances, and political decisions during crucial phases of her career.
He also claimed that alterations in the spelling of Jayalalithaa's and Sasikala's names were made on his numerological recommendations and said he had played a role in candidate selections, ministerial appointments, and branding exercises during the AIADMK regime.
Appointing an astrologer to an official post paid for by taxpayers’ money has understandably raised the hackles here, with voices ranging from political rivals to alliance partners criticising the decision.
Congress’s Tiruvallur MP Sasikanth Senthil, an IAS officer-turned-politician who is part of Rahul Gandhi’s inner circle, took to social media to make his feelings known to the public. "Beats me. Why would an astrologer require an OSD position?? Can anyone explain," he asked in the post.
In a much briefer but cryptic and more caustic comment, another Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram posted just two words: “Caligula – Incitatus.”
Those who searched for the meaning found about the eccentric Roman emperor Gaius Julius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, more popularly known as Caligula, who apparently promoted his horse, Incitatus, as a minister.
Meanwhile, CPM State secretary P Shanmugam and CPI State secretary M Veerapandian criticised Pandit’s appointment, contending that it went against scientific temper and secular principles. On the other hand, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan was surprisingly subdued, noting that Pandit was a spokesperson of TVK who also practised astrology.